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erodriguez

(657 posts)
Wed Apr 3, 2024, 06:49 PM Apr 3

'The machine did it coldly': Israel used AI to identify 37,000 Hamas targets

Source: The Guardian

“This is unparalleled, in my memory,” said one intelligence officer who used Lavender, adding that they had more faith in a “statistical mechanism” than a grieving soldier. “Everyone there, including me, lost people on October 7. The machine did it coldly. And that made it easier.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/03/israel-gaza-ai-database-hamas-airstrikes



This is sickening.
11 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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moniss

(4,274 posts)
1. Like an old "Star Trek" episode
Wed Apr 3, 2024, 06:54 PM
Apr 3

where the computers "calculate strikes and casualties" between two warring planets. No bombs or guns. Then the people just report to the disintegration chambers.

Ford_Prefect

(7,917 posts)
2. Will this be the excuse applied to explain how the drone chose to attack the food convoy? The machine decided????
Wed Apr 3, 2024, 07:12 PM
Apr 3

I know of no exception made in international law for the discretion of a computer. Humans have the responsibility for deciding what is and is not right, for what and who are NOT legitimate targets. It is the responsibility of those who engage in the uses of force to apply it correctly, accurately, and with regard to the safety of noncombatants.

We have been down this road before. We often have used drones without care for noncombatants, as the footage and evidence has shown. We know that it is not a mistake. It is a choice to attack based on the inherent bias in the command structure which caused those events. Perhaps even a willing attack on "outsiders" interfering in what are claimed to be internal affairs.

I will not sell one more bullet, nor bandage, nor any further technology to them. Netanyahu and the dominant Likud party leaders owe the world an explanation which goes beyond "they hit us first".

And before any fool thinks that I justify Hamas by this, think again. Murder is murder under any flag. It is not a way to solve problems. But then that is not the purpose of Hamas. Nor Netanyahu.

spinbaby

(15,090 posts)
3. How I interpret this
Wed Apr 3, 2024, 07:56 PM
Apr 3

They’re going to keep on shooting anything that moves, only now they’re going to blame it on AI.

IronLionZion

(45,495 posts)
6. Blaming AI is a pretty weak excuse
Wed Apr 3, 2024, 10:26 PM
Apr 3

and continuing to kill high numbers of civilians regardless is malicious. It looks increasingly like the goal is to kill lots of civilians and make that area unlivable so they leave.

Polybius

(15,465 posts)
8. And what boggles my mind is that there are still users with Israeli flag avatars here
Thu Apr 4, 2024, 12:09 AM
Apr 4

How can anyone on the left support such a regime?

IronLionZion

(45,495 posts)
10. I support Israelis and Palestinians but not Netanyahu or Hamas
Thu Apr 4, 2024, 12:45 AM
Apr 4

Both sides deserve better representation.

LudwigPastorius

(9,164 posts)
7. More
Wed Apr 3, 2024, 11:22 PM
Apr 3
One source said that the limit on permitted civilian casualties “went up and down” over time, and at one point was as low as five. During the first week of the conflict, the source said, permission was given to kill 15 non-combatants to take out junior militants in Gaza. However, they said estimates of civilian casualties were imprecise, as it was not possible to know definitively how many people were in a building.

Another intelligence officer said that more recently in the conflict, the rate of permitted collateral damage was brought down again. But at one stage earlier in the war they were authorised to kill up to “20 uninvolved civilians” for a single operative, regardless of their rank, military importance, or age.

“It’s not just that you can kill any person who is a Hamas soldier, which is clearly permitted and legitimate in terms of international law,” they said. “But they directly tell you: ‘You are allowed to kill them along with many civilians.’ … In practice, the proportionality criterion did not exist.




cstanleytech

(26,313 posts)
9. I could see using AI to organize and sort out the information to target the chain of command with HAMAS.
Thu Apr 4, 2024, 12:13 AM
Apr 4

However it should only be used with identifying the officer level types and such that are most likely to have been involved in the planning and carrying out of the attack as well as those that might be involved in holding the hostages.
Even then though it should go on to some human beings to completely vet the list.

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